Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the National Cyber Security Centre has provided advice on the proposed Chinese Embassy at Tower Hill, London.

In line with previous responses, the planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this quasi-judicial decision independent from the rest of Government.

The Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the planning inspector on 14 January. That letter is clear that the Home Office has considered the breadth of national security issues and where necessary, relevant agencies and departments have been consulted on the national security implications of the application. It would be inappropriate to provide any further specific detail.